Nuclear Weapons and The Indian Armed Forces

Abstract

Like much of the world, the Indian armed forces were taken by surprise by the five nuclear tests undertaken by the newly elected BJP Government on May 11 and 13, 1998. The subsequent Indian doctrine of minimum credible deterrence, too, was based on few inputs from the end-users—the Indian armed forces. At present the Indian Air Force has the most developed infrastructure, equipment, and trained forces to provide a limited deterrent. However, the most versatile deterrent is in the form of nuclear-powered submarines armed with ballistic missiles. Not unexpectedly, the Indian Navy has staked such a claim. On the other hand, the largest and most powerful of the three defense services, the Indian Army, too, has sought a significant role in nuclear war fighting. Ultimately, an integrated higher defense organization will be required to manage the competing claims and provide a rational cost-effective system of minimum credible nuclear deterrence. India has already taken some steps in this direction.